BY: LORI KERSEY –
West Virginia senators on Wednesday signed off on a bill meant to improve access to needed dental services for Medicaid recipients.
The Senate passed House Bill 4933.
As it passed in the House of Delegates earlier this month, the bill exempted dentures from the $1,000 yearly cap that Medicaid recipients have for needed dental services.
Under the amended version the Senate passed Wednesday, the $1,000 yearly cap has been changed to a $2,000 cap for every two years and the language saying that dentures do not count against that cap has been removed.
The bill is meant to allow Medicaid recipients to get both sets of dentures at the same time at a cost of about $600 each, said Hallie Mason, director of the West Virginia Dental Association.
Mason said the approved Senate version of the bill will have the same effect for Medicaid recipients and the association is pleased with the bill.
“What the Senate did was say ‘OK, it’s $1,000 every year, but let’s let them have $2,000 every two years, which is the same benefit but allows the flexibility to get what they need in year one,” Mason said. “So we’re very pleased with it and we’re very grateful that this was the solution.”
The House of Delegates would have to sign off on changes made to the bill.